Cricket
We aim to continue the College’s fine cricketing tradition whilst evolving its programme to enthuse all students, as many of them take their first steps in this great game.
A proper cricketing education has always been an established part of sport in the Valley since the 19th Century and the College has regularly fielded 8 teams. With women’s cricket the fastest growing sport, we now have 13 squads and last summer saw innovative new formats played including mixed and gender specific matches for all teams. We are proud to instil a love for the game in our beautiful surroundings and the values it promotes.
Cricket at Ampleforth runs through all three terms. The winter is used for technical development and indoor cricket competitions, including the Girls’ National Cup. The school’s cricket specific coaches are instrumental in the development of all our players and each student is able to access at least one session a week during the Winter Training Programme. Masterclasses and specific one to one sessions are also held throughout the year. These allow the most enthusiastic players from all year groups to exchange ideas and receive tips from cricketers who have played at the very highest level.
Our fixture list in the summer term provides the opportunity for all students to represent the College. Our four turf pitches, three artificial pitches and extensive outdoor and indoor nets enable this. Both the Boys’ and Girls’ 1st XIs play in the National Cup as well as touring at or hosting a festival each year. A similar level of focus and suitable fixtures are provided for all other squads.
2023 saw us tour Sri Lanka with our U14 and U15 boys’ and girls’ teams. Our Girls’ U15A side are currently County Indoor and Outdoor Champions and the 2022 Boys’ 1st XI broke the school record for wins in a season and were ranked fifth place in the country. Whilst success on the pitch is important, the onus is on enjoyment of the game and a healthy respect for the spirit of cricket.
